In freezing conditions, there exists a danger that ice may form on the surfaces of an aircraft. Because the principle of flight with respect to modern aircraft is based on the smooth flow of air over the surfaces of the aircraft to generate lift, any ice that accumulates on the surface can degrade the aircraft's ability to fly by effectively roughening these surfaces. Additionally, large pieces of ice that become dislodged from the surface can potentially damage propellers or turbine engines. Further, thick ice can prevent the operation of the aircraft's controls (e.g., flaps and rudder). Accordingly, the ice must be removed from the aircraft, and prevented from forming thereon, in order for the aircraft to operate safely and achieve optimal performance.
A known method for removing ice from the surfaces of an aircraft includes the application of a deicing fluid that lowers the freezing point of water in order to melt any ice accumulated on the aircraft's surfaces or to prevent the formation of ice in the first place. Various glycol compositions (e.g., ethylene glycol, propylene glycol) are commonly used as deicing fluids. Glycol compositions are capable of lowering the freezing point of water to approximately −60° C. (i.e., −76° F.). Although this change in the freezing point would effectively melt any ice or prevent ice from forming, the use of pure glycol compositions in this way is excessive on all but the coldest of days and leads to waste of the glycol.
As a result, many airlines dilute the glycol compositions with water to reduce the amount of de-icing fluid used. For instance, a 1:1 blend of glycol-based deicing fluid and water (i.e., 50/50 blend) is common and capable of lowering the freezing point of water to approximately −38° C. (i.e., about −37° F.). Thus, even with the glycol diluted in this fashion, an excessive amount of glycol may still be consumed. Unfortunately, airline operators cannot simply use a weaker blend of glycol and water (e.g., a 20% glycol solution with a freezing point of about −8° C.) because weather conditions—and specifically the ambient temperature of the environment—may prevent the diluted blend from sufficiently lowering the freezing point of the water.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a system for creating a custom blend of deicing fluid and water based on the weather conditions existing at the time the deicing solution is to be applied. Ideally, such a system would provide the options of relying upon a controller to automatically determine a target fluid composition or permitting an operator to define the target fluid composition. Such a system would ensure that the deicing solution could effectively remove the ice from the surface of the aircraft and/or prevent the formation of ice on the aircraft without using unnecessarily high concentrations of deicing fluid.
A need further exists for a mobile deicing system that mixes de-icing fluid and water to a defined ratio, assesses the composition and temperature of the mixture, adjusts the composition and temperature depending upon weather conditions, and then applies the mixture to the surface.